Grip for cables or the like.



PATENTED APR, 14, 1903.

No. 725,486. I

0. M. SAGKETT.

GRIP FOR GABLES OR THE LIKE.'

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 23, 1902.

H0 MODEL.

l QM was on o NITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

ORRIN MILTON" SAOKETT, OF TELLURIDE, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO HOMER M.SAOKETT, OF TELLURIDE, COLORADO.

GRIP FOR CABLES OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725,486,dated April 14,1903.

Application filed May 23, 1902. serial No. 108,683. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORRIN MILTON SACKETT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Telluride, in the county of San Miguel and State ofColorado, have invented a new and useful Grip for Cables or the Like, ofwhich the'following is a specification.

This invention relates'to gripsfor connecting cars, buckets, and thelike to cables or similar driving elements.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a structure of theabove character which is extremely simple and comparatively inexpensiveto manufacture, while at the same time having a powerful gripping actionand also having the necessary freedom of movement to allow for the sagand displacement of the cable, this movement, however, being limited.

Another object is to provide means for adjusting the relative relationof the jaws to permit the grip being used in connection with cables ofvarious sizes.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and described in the following specification; butit will be evident upon an inspection of the claims that theconstruction shown and described is open to various modifications andchanges without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in ele' vation showing the positionof the grip when applied to a tramway-bucket. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the grip. Fig. 3'is a longitudinal sectional view through the same.--Fig. 4 is an end elevation, and Fig. 5 is a vertical transversesectional view.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings. r

While it is to be understood, as already stated, that the invention maybe used in connection with cars or other carriers, it is particularlyintended for use upon tramwaybuckets. One of these buckets isillustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings and is designated by thereference-numeral 10. It is provided with a bail 11, comprising sidearms pivotally attached at their lower ends to the bucket and having aconnection at their upper ends with a wheeled frame ,12, that runs upona stationary supporting-cable l3. Beneath this cable is arranged themovable driving-cable 14. The grip is designated as a whole by thereference-numeral15 and is arranged between the side arms of the bail,being supported by cross-bars 16, which are attached to said side armsand are arranged upon opposite sides of the grip. x

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the grip comprises a body 17which is preferably rectangular in form and. has transversely-disposedslots 18, in which are seated the cross-bars 16, the body being heldagainst displacement by tie-bolts, as 19, connecting the cross-bars onopposite sides of the body. Mounted upon this body is a pair ofrelatively movable jaws20 and 21, one of which, as 20, may be termed thestationary jaw, the other,21,being the movable jaw. It will be evidentthatthese are relative terms employed for the purpose of more easilydescribing them.

The stationary jaw 20 comprises a head having a trunnion 22, journaledin an opening 23 in the body, and having a cap-plate 24:, secured uponits rear end by means of bolts 25,

said cap-plate extending over the rear face of the body to hold the jawin place. It will therefore be evident that the stationary jaw has arevoluble movement upon the body; but this movement is limited by a stop26, carried by the head and movably engaging in a seat 27 in the forwardend of the body, the end walls 28 of this seat constitutingstopshoulders against which the stop 26 abuts. The movable jaw 21 alsohas a head that coacts with the head of the stationary jaw, said headshavingreces'ses 29 in their opposing inner faces, through which recessesthe drivingcable 14 operates. The movable jaw 21, furthermore, hasashank 30, that slidably passes through an opening 31 made in thetrunnion and projects through the cap-plate 24. This shank carries aprojection in the form of a guide-lug 32, that is slidably mounted in aslot 33 in the head of the stationary jaw, thereby preventing therotation of the movable jaw upon the stationary jaw. A coiled spring 34is arranged about the shank 30 and bears at one end against the innerface of the cap-plate 24, the other end bearing against a shoulder 35,formed on the shank, said spring thereby urging the movable jaw to openposition or away from the stationary jaw.

Pivotally mounted upon the projecting or free end of the shank 30 is anactuating leverarm 36, that is provided contiguous to its pivoted endwith a cam projection 37. This rests against a bearing-plate 38,attached to and over the cap-plate by means of the fastening devices 25.The arm 36 is curved and preferably extends to a point over the jaws,being formed with a cross-head, as 39. The bearing-plate 38 isadjustable, and to this end a plurality of spacing-disks 40 are arrangedto be inserted between said plate and the capplate 24, as will bereadily understood.

The manner of using the device will be apparent. When the lever-arm 36is thrown to an upright position, as shown in Fig. 2, the cam projection37 will be disengaged from the bearing-plate, thereby permitting thespring to force the movable jaw away from the stationary jaw, and thecable will be released. \Vhen it is desired to grip the cable, it isonly necessary to throw the lever-arm to the position shown in Fig. 3,whereupon the movable jaw will be drawn toward the stationary jawagainst the tension of the spring. This movement will be sufficient toclamp the jaws upon the cable and they will be positively held in saidclamping engagement because of the peculiar arrangement of the camprojection. Should the grip be employed upon a short tramway in which acomparatively light driving-cable is employed, by inserting more disksbetween the wear-plate and the cap-plate it will be evident that themovable jaw may be drawn much closer to the stationary jaw, and thus thegrip may be used on different sizes of cables. This is an extremelyimportant point of the invention, as but one size of grip is necessaryfor various conditions of work to be'done and a great saving in the costof patterns and the like is thereby effected. Then the manner ofactuating the movable jaw is very simple as compared to those nowcommonly employed, and the various parts may be readily disassociatedfor the purpose of renewal or repair. The actuating-arm is in a veryconvenient position to be operated and at the same time is so arrangedthat an automatic trip may be employed for throwing it and disengagingthe jaws from the cable. Another advantage to be noted is the revolublearrangement of the jaws. These jaws are both freely rotatable to acertain degree, so as to allow for the sag or other displacement of thecable. At the same time the movement is limited by the coactiug stops,so that the jaws will always remain in their proper upright relationwith respect to the cable and cannot become entirely disengaged from thesame when released.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, ofgripping mechanism rotatably mounted upon the body, and means forlimiting the rotary movement of the gripping mechanism.

2. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of atrunnion journaled in the body, coactiug stops carried by the body andtrunnion to limit the rotary movement of the latter, and coactiuggrippingjaws mounted upon the trunnion.

8. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body havinga socket and a seat located at one side of the socket, of a trunnionjournaled in the socket, a stop-lug carried by the trunnion and movablein the seat of the body, and gripping-jaws mounted upon and movable withthe trunnion.

4. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, ofgripping mechanism journaled upon the body, said mechanism in cluding amovable jaw located at one side of the body, and actuating means forsaid jaw connected thereto and arranged upon another side of the body.

5. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationary jaw carried by the body, a movable jaw coactiug with thestationary jaw, and means for moving the movable jaw, said meansincluding a lever pivoted at the side of the body opposite the jaws andbent about said body so that its free end is located contiguous to thejaws.

6. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationary jaw carried by the body, a movable jaw slidably mounted onthe body and having a shank projecting through the same, and a leverpivoted to the rear end of the shank and having a cam engagement withthe rear of the body, said lever being curved over the body and havingits free end located over the jaws.

7. In agrip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationary jaw at tached to the body and located at one side of thesame, a movable jaw coacting with the stationary jaw and having a shankextending through the body, an actuating-arm pivoted to the shank on theside of the body opposite the jaw, and means separate from the arm formoving the jaw in one direction.

8. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationary jaw attached to the body and located at one side of the same,a movable jaw coacting with the stationary jaw and having a shankextending through the body,an actuating-arm pivoted to the free end ofthe shank and having a ful- IOC crum projection contiguous to itspivoted end, and a spring for moving the jaw in one direction. a

9. In a grip of the class describedfithe combination with a body, of astationary jaw attached tothe body, a movable jaw coacting with thestationary jaw and having a shank movably mounted upon the body, aspring surrounding and bearing against the shank, and means foractuating the jaw against the. tension of the spring. 1

10. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationary jaw attached to the body, a movable jaw coacting with thestationary jaw and having a shank extending through the body, actuatingmechanism for the jaw attached to the freeend of the shank, and arelease-spring surrounding said shank.

11. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body havinga jaw, of a movable jaw coacting with the jaw of the body and having ashank projecting through said body, a wear-plate detachably fastened atthe rear of the body, and an actuating-lever pivoted to the shank andbearing, against the wear-plate. j

' 12. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, ofa stationaryjaw attached to the body, a movable jaw coacting with thestationary jaw, means for actuating the movable jaw, said meansincluding a bearing-plate,and a cam-lever pivotally connected to themovable jaw and bearing against the plate, and adjustingdisks arrangedto be placed beneath the plate to vary the position of the same.

13. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationary jawjournaled upon the body, a movable jaw slidably mountedupon the stationary jaw and coacting therewith, and means for actuatingthe movable jaw.

14. In a grip of the class described, the combination with abody, of astationary jawjournaled upon the body, a movable jaw slidably mountedupon the stationary jaw and coacting therewith, and means for actuatingthe movable jaw, said means including a camlever pivoted to one of thejaws and bearing against the other.

15. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationary jawjournaled upon the body, a movable jaw having ashankslidably mounted upon the stationary jaw and coacting therewith, andmeans for actuating the movable jaw.

16. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationaryjaw journaled upon the body, a movable jaw having a shankslidably mounted upon the stationary tionary jaw, and a cam-leverpivoted to the shank and bearing against the stationary jaw.

18. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationary jaw having a hollow trunnion journaled in the body, amovablej aw having a shank slidably mounted in the trunnion, and a leverconnected to the shank for moving the jaw.

19. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationary jaw having a hollowtrunnion journaled in the body, a movablej aw having ashank slidably mounted in the trunnion, a coiled springsurrounding the shank and housed within the trunnion, and a leverconnected to the shank for moving the jaw.

20. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, ofastationary jaw havin g a hollow open-ended trunnion j ournaled in thebody, a movable jaw havinga shankslidably mounted in the trunnion, abearingplate attached to one end of the trunnion, and a lever pivoted tothe free end of the shank and bearing against said plate.'

21. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationary jaw having a hollow open-ended trunnion j ournaled in thebody, a movable jaw having a shank slid ably mounted in the trunnion, abearingplate adj ustably attached to one end of the trunnion,and a leverpivoted to the free end of the shank and bearing against said plate.

22. In a grip of the class described, the combination with a body, of astationary jaw havin g a hollow open-ended trunnion j ournaled in thebody, a movable jaw having a shank slidably mounted in the trunnion,a'cap secured to one end of the trunnion and engaging the body to holdsaid trunnion against longitu dinal displacement, a bearing-plateattached-

